Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Christmas Song - in support of the homeless

Hi everyone

Here's a song I thought you might like, written and performed by my oldest friend Chris King (we went to the same play school aged 3!).

How the song came about:

"This song is about homelessness at Xmas. Written whilst asleep, recorded onto my phone in the morning, then recorded properly in my garage. If you can give a little to homeless charities this Xmas then that would be super. If you are a radio station and want to play this on your show, feel free. Let me know on bisherltd@hotmail.com All PRS etc. will go to homeless charities."Chris King 2012
I hope you enjoy - please like and pass onto your friends!

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Off the Frame - "the lighter side of tennis"

Here's a funny poem taken from the light hearted tennis book "Off the Frame", featuring a series of short stories set in northern England. The co-author is a longstanding friend of mine and fellow tennis coach Alistair Higham.

Saturday, 1 September 2012

Peter Carter: The coach who moulded Roger Federer

The legendary Roger Federer has never forgotten his great friend and coach, the late Peter Carter, who shaped his career from the age of nine. Source: AP

Unassuming and dignified, they expect the story to be focused elsewhere. Originally, they are right. The intrusion is designed to explain Roger Federer's heavy heart at the Olympics and US Open. To illustrate the thoughtfulness and decency of one of the world's greatest athletes on the 10-year anniversary of the death of his most influential coach.

To pay tribute to the impact on Federer's retro and flawless technique of his late Australian mentor, Peter Carter, and demonstrate how the shock of attending Carter's funeral a decade ago in Basel, Switzerland, triggered the quiet resolve and inoffensive arrogance behind a tennis career beyond compare.

But then we spend two hours in the home of Bob and Diana at Nuriootpa, outside Adelaide, flicking through photo albums, shedding tears for their son, shaking from the enormity of their memories, and all previous plans are shelved.

Peter Carter had immeasurable influence on a young Roger Federer. Source: Supplied

Yes, Federer is peerless. Yes, Peter Carter, who began coaching the Swiss star as a nine-year-old and took him to the brink of international stardom, was abundantly influential, personally and professionally, until fate intervened in the most callous and cruel fashion. But only when you are actually sitting in the presence of these people can you view the full and unedited picture.

Bob and Diana speak with trembling emotion and affection about their boy, and they have nothing but praise for the still-supportive and generous Federer. But before the end of the first round of coffees, sandwiches and biscuits from Diana, does your heart bleed for them.

"It never gets any easier," Bob says. "Never."

August sends a shiver down their spines. It is a decade since Peter was killed at the age of 37 in a car crash in South Africa. August 1 was the day he died. August 9 was his birthday. Federer turned 31 a day earlier.

Bob and Diana went through their own private ritual on August 1 to honour a son who is remembered as an unfailingly upright and caring individual. From the testimonies of all those who crossed paths with Carter as a player and/or sculptor of the pre-teenage and teenage Federer, moulding and shaping him from the impressionable ages of nine to 18, the picture is painted of a man with nothing but decent bones in his body.

"I think a lot of people did like him," Bob says. "He was a pretty easy bloke to get along with and I'm ... " A pause.

" ... I'm proud of him for that. Ah, dear. It's a tough old time."

August 1, 2002: Carter was a passenger in a Land Rover near Kruger National Park. Three reasons for the trip. A belated honeymoon with his wife, Silvia von Arx, tied to a celebration for her having beaten cancer. July 31 was her birthday. She was travelling in the car ahead of Carter's vehicle, which swerved off the road to avoid a head-on collision with a min-van, barrelling through the railing of a bridge and plummeting into a river bed, landing on its roof.

The police statement read: "Carter and the driver, a South African, were killed instantly when the roof of their vehicle was crushed."

Federer was in Toronto, Canada, for a tournament. Informed that night, he left his hotel and ran through the streets, bawling and hysterical. He had recommended South Africa as the holiday location.

"I'm very shocked and very sad," he said. "Peter was a very close friend of mine. I was with him every day when I was a boy. Peter was very calm but he was funny with a typical Australian sense of humour. I can never thank him enough for everything he gave me.

"Thanks to him I have my entire technique and coolness. He wasn't my first coach, but he was my real coach. He knew me and my game and he always knew what was good for me."

Federer, a Catholic, returned to Basel to attend the funeral at the centuries-old St Leonhard's Church. The same clergyman had married Peter and Silvia at the same parish a year ago.

According to Federer's mother, Lynette, the impact on him was profound. The first time he dealt with the death of someone close. "Any defeat in tennis is nothing compared to such a moment," Federer said.

Respected coach and former player Darren Cahill grew up with Carter. Born and bred in Adelaide.

"Not a day has gone by in the last 10 years that I haven't thought about Carts," Cahill says. "He was a loyal mate. A guy you could count on for clear and fearless advice, but he tended to play it a bit carefully when it came to things involving him. He knew it and played up to it, leaving us in fits of laughter most of the time, which was typical Peter.

"He was the guy who would water-ski with his ears plugged up for fear of busting an eardrum only to emerge from the water after a fall with two busted eardrums and water gushing out of his nostrils, all with a smile on his face.

"I'd like to think he was a part of my family but the simple fact was that most families that spent time with him adopted him as one of their own. Being a country boy that played great tennis, he spent most of his time away from home in the city chasing his dreams on the tennis court.

"He played a big part in many people's lives and for those of us, the lucky ones, that shared his friendship, he is still terribly missed."

After his coach's funeral, Federer played a Davis Cup match against Morocco with 'CARTER' stamped on the back of his shirt. It was late 2002 and he was yet to win a major. He told his Swiss teammates in Casablanca: "We must win this for Peter. We must." A switch was flicked. This was the turning point of his career.

Steeled with determination, he fell into an on-court trance, the calculated cool of an assassin. Previous attempts to temper his rage had made him almost comatose on the court. Now he found the perfect brew of inner fire and outer peace. He must win for Carter.

The Moroccan duo of Younes el Aynaoui and Hicham Arazi were eminently capable but Federer caned them both. Identical scorelines: 6-3 6-2 6-1. The count-down was on. He used to think tennis was life and death. Proof had arisen to the contrary and Casablanca became the psychological blueprint for the rest of his playing days.

He won his next Wimbledon in the same trance-like state to begin his history march.

"I can't say that it did me good," Federer said of Carter's funeral. "But I was close to him in thought once again and I could say goodbye in a dignified setting. I felt somewhat better, especially in matters concerning tennis."

"I think something might have hit him then," Diana says.

"I'm sure of it," says Bob.

Carter met Federer when he accepted a coaching job at the T.C. Old Boys Club in Basel. Lynette Federer introduced her nine-year-old son with three infamous words: "This is Roger."

Carter telephoned Bob and Diana that night and told them: "Have I got a good one here." Federer was a hot-tempered teenager and Carter became his voice of reason.

Federer was racked with self-doubt and Carter engendered faith. Federer would hide under the umpire's chair and cry after losses, but Carter kept telling him that greatness might just be possible. The only person who beat Federer was Federer.

From that flawless Davis Cup fixture in Casablanca, few people beat him again. The rest is history and lore and legend. Federer has 17 grand slam titles, the world No 1 ranking, a place in sporting immortality.

The 18th of Federer's 75 tour titles was significant for the date it was achieved: August 1, 2004. Wearing a black shirt, serene and pumped to the eyeballs because both were now possible, he monstered Andy Roddick in straight sets and declared: "I dedicate this to Peter - and Peter alone."

The trust and connection had been so strong that a 19-year-old Federer refused to play Davis Cup for Switzerland unless Carter replaced Jakob Hlasek as captain. It seemed impossible. Carter was Australian. Regardless, Federer received his wish. "They were more than coach and pupil," Bob says. "Wouldn't it have been wonderful if Peter had been here to see everything Roger has done since."

Carter's job coaching the young Federer totally consumed him, according to Cahill.

"He knew what he had in his hands," says Cahill. "He knew the kid was pretty special. He also knew the enormous responsibility that came with the job.

"Roger's demand for Carts to be the unofficial Swiss Davis Cup captain was a telling and true reflection of the bond between the two.

"In the tennis world, an Aussie guy running the Swiss Davis Cup team, well that stuff never happened. It was a huge feather in Peter's cap and he was quite humbled by it. We were all incredibly proud of him. Quite honestly, he was the Rod Laver of mates."

Bob and Diana Carter burned the midnight oil to watch Federer win Wimbledon this year. Ditto for his Olympic campaign.

"Roger is just a very decent human being," Bob said.

Every December, an email from Federer arrives with flight details, accommodation bookings and courtesy car arrangements for the Australian Open. Bob and Diana have been Federer's guests of honour at Melbourne Park every year since 2005. All expenses are taken care of. They sit in Federer's box, stay at his hotel, attend the celebration and commiseration parties. And they talk about Peter.

"We're always very pleased to be there," Bob says. "Every year we go at his cost, it's just amazing, plane fares and courtesy cars. He really looks after us. I hope he knows how much we appreciate that. He used to have us there for two weeks, but we were stuffed! It was so tiring we could hardly get home. We just go for the finals now."

Federer's everlasting embrace of Bob and Diana began at a Davis Cup match between Australia and Switzerland in Melbourne in August, 2003. The tie was played in Peter's honour; Bob and Diana were courtside.

"It was the first time we'd seen Roger after Peter's death and the funeral," Bob says. "We had only met him once, when he was 17. That Davis Cup weekend was very, very emotional because it was when we really got to know Roger. He took us into an empty room, on our own, and we had a really good and long talk.

"That's where he got to know us, too. We told him ... we said to him, Roger, just do the best you can, mate. Peter always thought the world of you. He thought you might be something pretty special.

"It was good for all of us. Roger was able to get all the emotion of Peter's death out and we were able to do the same. Since then, the relationship we've had with Roger has helped us a lot.

"It was difficult to talk to him in the beginning, difficult for everyone, but we were all able to say the things we really wanted to say. It has been wonderful to be able to stay in touch with him. We've taken a lot of joy from everything he has achieved."

Roger dedicates his first Grand Slam to Peter Carter

Following Roger Federer's recent record breaking 17th Grand Slam victory - here's an emotional article written in 2003 in which Roger dedicates his first Grand Slam title to his former coach, and close friend Peter Carter.

TranscriptSwiss Tennis Player Dedicated his Victory to a South Australian CoachBroadcast: 11/07/2003Reporter: Partick Emmett

IAN HENSCHKE: Last Sunday, when Swiss tennis player Roger Federer won Wimbledon, he dedicated his victory to a little-known South Australian coach.
Hardly anyone knows the name Peter Carter here, but in Switzerland he was a household name and captain of their Davis Cup team.

But all that was tragically cut short when he died in a car accident last year.

Patrick Emmett has more....

ROGER FEDERER: And I was always joking around when I was a boy -- "I'm going to win this", and now I have it.

Thanks to everybody.

Oh, it's great.

PATRICK EMMETT: When Roger Federer broke down in tears after last Sunday's Wimbledon final, much of that emotion was for Peter Carter.

And those tears were shared thousands of kilometres away in Nuriootpa by Peter's parents, Bob and Diana.

BOB CARTER: We cried.

DIANA CARTER: We did cry because we saw Roger and we realised why he was so upset, because it had been in the paper that he was dedicating this result to Peter and so --

BOB CARTER: His first Grand Slam to Peter.

DIANA CARTER: ..so we did realise what it was all about.

BOB CARTER: And when he broke up, so did we.

PATRICK EMMETT: Peter Carter grew up in the Barossa in the '60's as part of a tennis loving family.

He'd trail along to the courts with his parents and two older brothers, but they thought he was too small to play competitively, until one day when he was eight.

BOB CARTER: He always used to take his racquet out and there was an older boy out there that was actually playing in the team tennis.

He went off with him and came back and said "I beat this lad", so then I thought, well I better start looking into him and have a few hits with him, and he was just so good, even at that age.

PATRICK EMMETT: And he was soon playing even better.

When he was 12, he was playing A grade, then at 15 he moved to Adelaide to live with coach Peter Smith, the man who played a part in many famous careers, including John Fitzgerald, Darren Cahill, Brod Dyke and Lleyton Hewitt.

PETER SMITH, COACH: He was a little younger than Fitzy and Brod Dyke but in terms of Mark and Darren who were about the same age, I think people considered him to be the best of that particular group.

PATRICK EMMETT: One of Peter's most memorable wins was when he defeated John Alexander while he was still at school.

He then went on the circuit, but dogged by injury, he eventually ended up coaching in Switzerland, where he met the young Roger Federer.

BOB CARTER: He said to me one night when he rang "Oh, have I got a young boy here who looks promising, "he's only about 12 or 13".

He said, "I think he's going to go places."

And that was Roger Federer.

PETER SMITH: As coaches would say that, you know, I spoke to them about this young kid that I was coaching I thought was going to be pretty good and he spoke to me about a young kid he was coaching that he thought was going to be pretty good, and of course it's turned out that Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer turned out to be not just fairly good, they turned out to be superstars.

PATRICK EMMETT: Peter coached Roger through his formative teenage years.

The Swiss champion credits him with much of his success.

Those feelings were shared by other Swiss players and eventually Peter became the country's Davis Cup coach and captain.

BOB CARTER: They did really respect him a lot.

DIANA CARTER: And the team actually refused to play unless he was the captain, at one stage.

PATRICK EMMETT: Peter's life seemed complete when he met his wife Sylvia, but shortly afterwards she was diagnosed with cancer.

After a 12-month battle last year she was cleared of the disease, but worse was to come.

The pair travelled to South Africa to celebrate, but while travelling in separate cars Peter was killed in an accident.

BOB CARTER: Yeah, it's something that you never forget getting that phone call at 2:45am one morning.

PATRICK EMMETT: The after effects of that tragic death still linger for Peter's family and friends in Adelaide but the success of Roger Federer has helped to ease the pain.

BOB CARTER: I feel really good about that.

It's a wonderful feeling really, because Peter had such an influence on his career, and really to watch Roger play you can sort of see a little bit of Peter there.

PETER SMITH: He had the same calmness and smoothness that Roger's got and I'm sure it's not a coincidence.

He was held in the highest esteem by everyone that knew him -- more than anyone I've ever met or ever known.

There's not just one person on the planet that I've ever heard had a bad word to say about Peter, and so it's rocked tennis in Switzerland, there's no question about that, and it's rocked the foundations of tennis in Australia with those people that did know him.

BOB CARTER: People who knew him, respected him and we're so proud of that.

He just cared about people and for that reason they cared about him and he was just so wonderful.

IAN HENSCHKE: And Peter Carter is now remembered as part of the Carter Altman Penfold Fund.

The charity known as CAP helps children with disabilities play sport and remembers two other tennis players, Nick Altman and Jeff Penfold.

Friday, 23 December 2011

BBC Radio 5 Live - Djokovic's 'Outrageous' Year

BBC Radio 5 Live - Djokovic's 'Outrageous' Year

"After an amazing 2011 we look back at Novak Djokovic's year at the top of tennis. We hear from the man himself, his coach, Marian Vajda and greats of the game. In the studio afterwards, Eleanor Oldroyd is joined by Jonathan Overend, the Evening Standard's tennis correspondent Chris Jones and speaks to Mats Wilander about what 2012 may hold".

Thursday, 28 April 2011

4 FREE Video Tennis Coaching Tips

Monday, 8 March 2010

Playing & Living in Fear

Are we witnessing a generation of players learning & playing the game in fear?

Question – fear of what?Answer – a fear of failure directly related to the expectations of parentsEnd Result – fear of parents

Magnitude of the problem? – has reached plague proportions.
A visit to any junior tournament or junior team competition will provide indisputable evidence of nervous players’ first reaction to a mistake being a furtive look over one’s shoulder in the blind hope that a necessity to visit the bathroom or get a drink etc might take away the eagle eye – the eye of judgment.

Here we have a generation of parental tennis experts - adults who in many cases are successful, well adjusted, solid citizens in every walk of life, that is, except for their involvement in their children’s tennis development.

Hundreds of times over the years I have attempted to convince players & “less over interested parents” that as victims of ugly parental behaviour they should not give tennis away in favour of other sports as this behaviour is not isolated to tennis.

Many parents, friends etc with a history of involvement in other sports are adamant that the “parental problem” in tennis is not only rife, but considerably more “colourful & vicious” than in other sports. If this is true then tennis administrators need to take a strong stand – 20 years ago I tried to sell the idea of trialing tournaments that were off limits to parents. Somehow it does not seem to matter what time of the day or night, jobs & personal life etc take a back seat as “calm, relaxed, impartial adults use a bit of flexi time to come out & casually watch their kids have a bit of a friendly hit”.

What a bad joke this is! I recall the newly appointed State Coach of Tennis SA fifteen years ago making the observation that after monitoring a couple of tournaments he felt he had inadvertently been placed in a war zone rather than what was supposed to be part of a development process for young tennis players.

Fifteen years later has anything changed? I think not!

Let’s look very carefully at the behavioural evidence:

Young players obviously anxious about the parental presence during matches

Parents becoming involved in matches – coaching etc

Parents becoming involved in matches – arguing with the parents (or other supportive spectators) of their child’s opponent

Some of the above behaviour is so blatant as to suggest a total lack of concern from the parent as to what is acceptable stable behaviour, what others might think of their behaviour etc while others are involved in more subtle methods such as offering to score/umpire because the “kiddies have trouble”.

Of even greater concern are the obvious examples of physical violence to one’s own child/children – the pushing, the poking, the dragging off to the car etc – one shudders to think of what happens in the car or on arrival home.

Can these suggestions be written off as one big dramatization (on my part) of the friendly, healthy rivalry that exists within the tennis community? No way! Make no mistake, this is a real live problem – one that is having a detrimental effect, not only on the lives of young tennis players but also on other members of the families involved. Siblings are neglected in many cases as one child may show more “promise” – often younger children are neglected as the first child is bigger & is therefore perceived to be a better player.

In many cases the family structure is put at risk by the more unsavoury elements of the game – worst case scenario – a breakdown – one parent (usually the mother) seeking some escape from the paranoia of the other.

Question: What have we got here? What is it that drives some parents to such despicable behaviour? Is it a lack of achievement in their own lives that now motivates parents to demand the highest level of achievement from their own children? Are parents living their lives through those of their children? Are the worst case parents those that have achieved in their own lives, particularly in the field of sport? If so, have these parents usually achieved at a sport other than tennis? Do the “ugly parents” really believe that their pushing actually helps? Does it? Can learning be accelerated by fear of verbal or physical abuse?
Is the motivating factor money? That is, do parents rather naively see the “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”? Herein we often have the classic “Catch 22” – so much money is outlaid that when anticipated results are not forthcoming, then this is what is pushed down the throat of the player – “We’ve spent all this money on you, airfares, racquets, new shoes, accommodation etc etc - & look what you’ve done – lost first round again!!”

Is it possible that what tends to happen in these circumstances is short term success motivated by fear followed by the player “hitting the wall”? For example, the young player who improves very quickly by being forced to spend long hours on the court & playing matches at every opportunity who then “plateaus out”
because they simply don’t have the natural athletic ability to keep improving or the psychological strength to deal with the pressures of the game (including parental).

What happens when the young player simply decides they don’t like the game anymore – are they forced to continue to play? – and if so, how long will it be before they stand up for their own rights & refuse or eventually reject the whole situation & leave home?

SOLUTION(S) TO THE PROBLEM:

Administrative bodies need to take a tough stance – What does this mean?

Tennis administrators need to make a genuine professional attempt to address the problem with an appropriate degree of respect & understanding – ie an educative attempt

Is the existing code of behaviour for administrators, coaches, players, parents etc a superficial, token attempt? If so, then let’s get real – the game is suffering – big time!!!

The Natural Tennis Player Theory

I often hear certain people referred to by others as being “natural tennis players”. It is as if anyone who plays well was just born to play tennis.

Associated with these concepts is the common belief that good players were born good or at least at some stage they automatically became good.

Firstly no one is a “natural tennis player”. Highly skilled players are invariably naturally talented athletes who if brought up in a different sporting environment would almost certainly enjoy a high level of success in that particular sport. Naturally talented athletes would logically have the potential to excel in a wide range of physical activities. I have a strong belief that if even the very best players eg Lleyton Hewitt were not introduced to tennis, then of course they would not even play the game let alone excel at it.

In Lleyton’s case I am sure he would be capable of achieving a high degree of success in a number of other sports eg football & golf.

With reference to the “natural tennis player” there is no such person – anyone who plays the game well has achieved that situation by endeavour – thousands of hours of hard work. The combination of natural athletic ability, opportunity & a passion for the game leads to success. Some people have similar theories related to certain sections of the game. For example, some players are described as “natural volleyers” – again a misconception – there is no such player, only those that don’t volley well & those that do (very few I might add) & all of these develop skills in the area by sheer hard work.

False Desperation

My observation suggests that adults teach infants to behave on occasions in a dramatic & exaggerated manner. Behaviour is rather loud & extravagant as young children are encouraged to develop an ever increasing range of physical skills.

Initially, walking is a major conquest – but there is no shortage of assistance – numerous people willing to hold each hand in order to support weight that the infant is struggling with.

Every gain (or every attempt) is greeted with raucous applause – every child (maybe more so in really caring families) is led to believe that they are performing feats of enormous magnitude – running faster, jumping higher or throwing further than any other human being on the planet.

Tennis provides a whole new stage for performing – a whole new range of skills to dramatise. Result: young children generally playing on a full size court, logically having enormous difficulty covering the area become desperation machines – diving to short balls & wide balls, jumping in vain to anything & everything that flies over their head but in fact reaching very little.

Question: Is the effort genuine? ie Is it the best effort possible to reach that particular ball or is it often an example of “false desperation”? ie In the mind 100% effort but in reality an action that can’t possibly be successful.

Example: How many times do we see, not just young children but often quite skilled adults, lunge desperately (often associated with a very audible groan) only to be passed, when a couple of controlled steps would have created the opportunity to play a relatively easy shot.

My experience suggests that once the player is made aware of the above, they quickly realize the inefficiency of many of their actions & immediately set about making more genuine attempts.

The most obvious examples of this “F D Syndrome” tend to occur on anything that is hit out of reach – eg quite a friendly lob can be missed completely (smash) only to be followed up by an attempt to turn, run backwards & retrieve the ball with a back to front over the head hook shot. Surely if the lob was good enough to beat a genuine desperate attempt to smash then it could not be possible to recover from the attempt & then go & successfully retrieve the ball.

Short balls provide another excellent opportunity to exhibit “FDS” – dozens of times a day I see players battle unsuccessfully to “dig up” a half court ball when a simple skill test with a much shorter ball proves that the player is easily physically capable of chasing down the original ball.

I frequently find myself talking to players about how I trust them to “intend to put in 100%” to reach a challenging ball while at the same time challenging them with the concept that with a 100% planned & structured effort they may well have reached that particular shot comfortably.

Accelerated Learning

In recent times a number of general beliefs appear to have evolved e.g. the earlier a player starts to learn the
game, the better, and the younger a player achieves a successful professional
standard, the better. These 2 beliefs imply a need for some form of accelerated
learning.

This whole concept with regard to other
areas of learning is very much open to debate, particularly when sensitive
issues such as overtaxing the pre-adolescent body, psychological burnout, loss
of “childhood” and education etc are taken into account. There is no shortage
of evidence, particularly in the past 2 decades of child prodigies who reached
“superstar’ status at very young ages only to see the wheels fall off for a
whole myriad of reasons.

Some of the more widely documented
examples are very tragic in their own right, suggesting that at least in many
circumstances this whole area is a very tricky business. Of major concern is the apparent
dramatic escalation in the number of cases where young children from 7 to
12 years of age are treated like miniature professionals.

The entourage connected with each
player is often extensive and often without experience or qualification in
the area.

Result: uneducated, emotive adult minds
designing and structuring the learning experiences of young children – at worst
there appears to be a total ignorance of the learning process, grossly
unrealistic expectations, severe psychological pressure etc.

Not withstanding the above, my
experience suggests that in almost every case it is possible to accelerate
learning and development in a “healthy way.” i.e. improve the efficiency
of the learning process – learn more and develop further in a shorter
period of time.

Nice theory!
How can this be
done?

Basically, I think it is all about
young people playing a greater part in their own learning process – i.e. an
ownership of the process that needs to occur for them to achieve excellence at
anything. There is a need to develop a “feel” for the game, an almost intuitive
or instinctive ability to see a direct connection between skill development
sessions and the actual playing of the game. Let’s see a lot less mundane, routine, technical development
for the sake of technical development and more of a genuine understanding of
the strategy of the game.

Everyone loves their Coach!

As a school teacher, experience suggests that at an infant/early primary level everyone loves their teacher – it is not uncommon to see open, wonderfully spontaneous examples of warmth & affection extended by young children towards the teacher, something that I might add, for probably understandable reasons is frowned upon by “authorities” if the teacher is to reciprocate.
At a secondary level, however, it becomes decidedly “not cool’ with a majority of students to cooperate with one’s teacher let alone like them!

A comparison with pupils on the tennis court proves an interesting exercise. Very young pupils tend to “idolise” the coach, constantly trying to impress, seek approval etc etc – the coach can do no wrong. Adolescents & young adults treat their coach quite differently to the school teacher. Although not as openly expressive as their younger counterparts, pupils from this group nevertheless generally hold their coach in the highest regard – often having to strongly defend their coach’s skills, reputation etc – the “my coach is better than yours” syndrome.
It seems logical that both groups are highly supportive of their coaches – after all, unlike the school situation, the pupil (or their parents) has made the choice of coach. Except in some squad type situations, selection of a coach (particularly in larger centres) is a free choice.

PROBLEM: Most young players & their parents are not sufficiently “tennis wise” to make an informed choice. We therefore have a situation where the player (and their entourage) are very friendly with & highly supportive of a coach with sometimes very limited teaching ability.

Assuming that tennis is a very difficult game to learn to play at a high level, then we have a dilemma – “an uneducated tennis community” desperate to be successful is frequently placing its formative development in the hands of coaches who are sometimes not capable of doing the job in a professional manner.

This lack of capability is often a matter of personal ignorance of one’s own coaching ability while in other circumstances, unscrupulous “coaches” are well aware of the superficiality of their “teaching”.

Either way, the result, or lack of, is a dilemma that recognised late or not at all will ultimately lead to lack of development & consequently “under performance” as related to “potential”.

Potential downside of having successful role models

Particularly in a relatively small tennis community like Adelaide, it is easy to have contact with local stars like Lleyton Hewitt & Alicia Molik – they can be seen practicing or working out at Next Generation or in Lleyton’s case playing the Australian Mens Hardcourt.

The emergence of players like Lleyton & Alicia tends to lead to a belief with certain people that similar success is therefore very achievable. It proves that it can be done.

“See what Lleyton has achieved!”
“I remember when he was playing here as a junior, he wasn’t that special.”
“If he can do it so can you!”

The problem with this belief is that Lleyton & Alicia are special – they are the highest ranked players in the history of SA – the possibility of other players becoming as good is quite remote – we are literally talking 1 in millions!

The whole concept of believing that if you want something badly enough you can have it, is fundamentally flawed! One can think of an endless number of situations where this is simply not true.

An example I often use is the challenge of being able to jump high enough to clear the backstop at the end of the tennis court – in theory possible but in practice clearly not possible – it would require the existing world high jump record to be broken by a metre or two – there will always be limitations to what someone can achieve regardless of “how badly they might want it”.

As coaches then please let’s get away from this line – by all means encourage pupils to strive to improve, to be inspired & motivated by the great players & therefore ultimately to become as good a player as they can be. However, at the same time let’s keep the whole thing in perspective – the best they can be will probably fall way short of what they see on TV & maybe even shorter than what their parents expect having watched TV.

Friday, 22 January 2010

Watch and Learn from the Greats of the Modern Game

Watch and Learn from the Greats of the Modern Game

If you are like me, you probably have a tendency to watch what is almost a daily smorgasbord of sensational tennis either live or on television, purely for its entertainment value. It can be such an adrenalin rush to watch the energy and artistry of the likes of Federer, Nadal and the Williams sisters and the list goes on.

Unfortunately this approach, although hugely enjoyable, to a large degree wastes a potentially valuable learning experience. So I am trying hard to develop new skills of “watching and learning from the Pros”.

Just to make analysis easier, I have divided the game into 4 broad areas: Technical, Tactical, Mental and Physical.

Under these headings it may sometimes be more productive to make a general observation or alternatively there may be some very specific learning point that catches your eye.

So, let’s have a go as I share with you a quick glance at some of the superstars of world tennis! Just a hint: see if you can differentiate between the “must-do things” that make all good players good and the additional really creative things that maybe make a genius but are probably too ambitious to be attempted by the average club player.

ROGER FEDERER

Technical
Beautiful classic technique across a full range of strokes – made achievable by using quite conventional grips (not extreme)
Hits each stroke with apparent ease – everything is calm & smooth – never appears to force a shot even when his intention is clearly to hit a “big winner”
Even in his early junior days, Roger had the reputation of being capable of producing amazing racquet head speed - the best example is probably his forehand groundstroke which is arguably the most dangerous stroke in men’s tennis.

Tactical
Very few if any other players possess Roger’s total all-court game – this is made possible by not only having all the standard strokes but having a number of additional variations to each of these as well. The outcome is an ability to play at the highest level from any area of the court, on any court surface & against any style of opponent.

Mental
Has an aura of great self belief which eliminates from having almost total confidence in every area of the game - opponents feel this as well, even before walking onto the court
Roger is clearly quite intimidating in his own quiet way – what an advantage!

Physical
A gifted elastic athlete – this allows Roger to make very subtle changes to standard strokes – great variation of spin
Excellent perception in addition to being deceptively incredibly quick
Always beautifully balanced leading to superb preparation on almost every stroke – rarely hurried

RAFAEL NADAL

Technical
Renowned as having the “heaviest” groundstrokes in the game (quite extreme grips) – due to his physical strength is capable of producing extraordinary topspin without losing penetration through the court
Wonderful example for all aspiring players as he continues to strengthen every area of his game – the heavy topspin is now complimented with a quality serve, a variety of slices & very competent volleying – a genuine all-court game!

Tactical
The basis of Rafael’s game is all-court soundness, as he seems to have an answer for every ball that comes into his court.
He also has an amazing ability to create difficulty at the other end of the court.
Perhaps the best defensive player in the world – brilliantly complimented with great offensive options

Mental
Possesses extreme competitiveness – just seems to love the contest
His mental toughness appears to allow him to actually “will” points.
Plays the big points incredibly well converting a high percentage of break points when receiving while demonstrating an enormous capacity to defend break points when serving
Quite superstitious – famous for the thoroughness of his “routines” when serving, receiving or even changing ends (check out the drink bottles)

Physical
What an athlete! Extraordinarily explosive, he has amazing court coverage tracking down almost every ball no matter how difficult, always trying to make the opponent play one extra shot – an energy machine!
Seems to possess endless stamina, rarely showing signs of fatigue – quite amazing considering his incredibly demanding match schedule

LLEYTON HEWITT

Technical
The standout feature of Lleyton’s game is his overall soundness. He has a proven ability to play on all surfaces & a Grand Slam Doubles’ title is testimony to his all-court game.
His backhand groundstroke is respected for its consistency & range of variations while his volleying, particularly through the short corners, is often underestimated.

Tactical
Not as big as many of the leading players, Lleyton has made a feature of some of the more subtle areas of the game. A brilliant, creative counter-puncher, he has turned lobbing, returning serve & hitting passing shots into an art form.

Mental
Exceptionally competitive, Lleyton is renowned for never giving up. He loves a team environment & has an unwavering commitment to Davis Cup. He is motivated by pitting his skills against the best in the world & thrives in difficult circumstances, often playing on adrenalin generated by performing at his peak.
Famous for the catch phrase “Come on!”

Physical
He is respected by opponents & spectators alike for being one of the quickest players in the game. He is extremely fit, with amazing court coverage & a very resilient body that has endured an extremely demanding style of play for ten years on the tour.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Technical
There is virtually no technical weakness in the Djokovic game. This is just reward for a relentless pursuit of excellence even to the extent of seeking expert assistance for such specialist areas as volleying. He has a really high quality serve, the result of a beautiful, smooth, efficient action on both first & second balls & is capable of serving very big on important points.

Tactical
Perhaps the most impressive feature of Novak’s incredible game is his ability to, not only play groundstrokes cross-court & down-the-line, but to be able to change the direction of play almost at will. This allows him to tactically play the direction of his choice when structuring the point, rather than tending to play the percentages & rally predominantly cross-court.

Mental
Possesses a strong sense of self-belief – one gets the distinct impression that Novak is a young man in a hurry to fulfill his expressed dream of becoming the number 1 player in the world
Although the excessive bouncing prior to serving can become a little tedious, there is no questioning his determination to play only when he is completely ready.

Physical
Almost the perfect build for tennis – very strong & capable of exceptional court coverage
Has the ability to produce quality shots from positions of genuine disadvantage – it is not uncommon to see Novak slide on hardcourt, allowing him to achieve near perfect balance under pressure

VENUS WILLIAMS

Technical
There are many stand-out features of the Venus Williams’ game, not the least of which is all-round awesome power. Her first serve is measurably the biggest in the game – the second serve, however, can be a little unreliable as it tends to slide quite regularly to the right-handers’ forehand.
Both groundstrokes are hit off very open stances which requires great strength but allows her to change direction of shot with very little indication to her opponent.

Tactical
It is impossible not to be impressed by Venus’s incredible defensive skills – these often go unnoticed, however, as she is capable of being so aggressive from difficult situations that she can turn almost any defensive situation into offence. Brutal power off both serve & groundstrokes leads to many floated replies which Venus deals with using her explosive trademark drive volleys from mid-court.

Mental
As strange as it seems in the modern game, Venus has been able to mix professional tennis at the highest level with study, fashion & business. When on the court, however, this full lifestyle does not appear to have diminished in any way, pride in her performance & hunger for success.

Physical
Venus must surely be one of the great athletes of all time. She is very tall, very strong with an almost cat-like ability to cover every area of the court.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

Technical
Maria is an extremely aggressive baseliner – both groundstrokes are hit incredibly hard, quite flat & amazingly close to the lines.
Both serves are hit very heavily, frequently setting up weak returns that are often punished with penetrating drive volleys often from very deep in the court.
Perhaps the most characteristic feature is the follow-through on the forehand groundstroke which usually finishes upwards & backwards from the point of contact.

Tactical
There appears to be one game plan – all-out aggression. Although this approach is potentially high risk, in form she can be almost totally domineering. Some would suggest that the trademark “screeching” is tactically motivated.

Physical
What a great athlete! Very tall & incredibly strong, it is easy to see how she can be so intimidating. Her height is perhaps a slight disadvantage when moving out wide or to short low balls. It is amazing to see the power Maria generates, often off the back foot & with the flourishing follow-through.

AMELIE MAURESMO

Technical
Amelie has such a classical all-court game and, like Justine Henin, the standout feature is her ability to play an amazing range of one-handed backhand groundstrokes. Her topspin variety is played with a heavy backhand grip & a correspondingly quite open stance. She has great feel off the slice backhand as well, which she often uses to approach the net or to set up points with creative dropshots.

Tactical
Not possessing a particularly reliable or penetrating serve, Amelie has developed an amazing range of strokes which allow her to play effectively on all surfaces. She can do just about anything, with her standard baseline game being complimented by many creative options such as serve & volley, slice return & slice approach.

Mental
Great to watch a no-nonsense player who just wants to get on with the job. Sadly, her inability to win at Roland-Garros has probably created an impression, at least within France, of not being mentally strong – so pleasing therefore to note the other grand slam victories.

Physical
An amazingly sculptured athlete who, despite numerous injury problems, continues to play tennis with great artistry & a style of play that requires movement to all areas of the court – maybe the most graceful player in the game.

SERENA WILLIAMS

Technical
Perhaps Serena is the most complete player in the women’s game. It is hard to find a weakness anywhere. Her first serve is very big & her topspin second serve is of the highest order. Both groundstrokes are extremely penetrating & she possesses a full range of volleys.

Tactical
Everything about Serena’s game is aggressive & dominant. She is constantly attempting to establish an advantage, moving forwards at every opportunity to attack short groundstrokes or to approach the net with a view to finishing the point as quickly as possible.

Mental
Despite the challenges of frequently having to play sister Venus (hard to imagine how difficult this must be), Serena is an amazing “big match” player. Even in recent times, playing almost part-time, she has demonstrated the ability to come into a tournament out of form & to just keep improving match by match – who can forget her Australian Open victory in 2007 (ranked 81st & unseeded)?

Physical
Although not as tall as some of the other leading players of the past decade, Serena is arguably the most powerful athlete on the women’s tour. Despite some injury problems in recent years, she continues to be capable of playing at the highest level in the most intimidating & imposing manner.

SUMMARYWell, if you have been like me & needed some encouragement to start a process of not just watching but actually learning from the Pros, I hope this helps. One final tip – look past the power aspect of the modern game & focus your attention on technical & tactical soundness which, without exception, would have taken 10 to 15 years of relentless hard work & sacrifice to develop.